[sc34wg3] Comments on the "particular editorial solution" ;-)

[Lars Marius Garshol]

* Patrick Durusau
| 
| Working from ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2, 2001 (local copy, using a
| 28.8 modem so did not look for a later one), I would note: [...]
| 
| 6.1.4 Introduction says: 
| 
| > The introduction is an optional preliminary element [...]
| 
| From what I remember of Jim Mason's comments in Montreal, this is
| generally read as being a very short introduction, more of an
| overview of what is to be found within and the reasons why it was
| prepared. Don't think we should read "reasons prompting its
| preparation" too broadly.

I'm sorry, but this is talking about the introduction, which every
part of a multipart standard must have. N0443 has one, as does N0446.
What we are discussing is the role of N0446 in ISO 13250 as a whole.

| I can't say that I think the ISO standard for drafting standards is
| the most effective means of communicating I have ever seen 

I'd have to agree with you there.

| Note I am NOT saying that a topic maps tutorial is out of place in
| the overall scheme of 13250, but I don't think that the suggested
| editorial solution will pass muster with ISO. I don't have the
| regulation of this particular issue handy but it seems to me that at
| some point the ISO staff have to approve of the organization of the
| content and I would hate for us to get tripped up at that late stage
| on a procedural issue.
| 
| Perhaps we could solicit an informal opinion from some of the ISO
| staff?

I don't think we need to. Look at N0443 and N0446 next to one another.
Both define the term "subject". Clearly that is unacceptable. So what
do we do? N0446 goes into lots of detail that is appropriate for a
tutorial. Is it appropriate for the normative text of ISO 13250-1? If
not, what do we do about that?

This is what we are trying to figure out. It's tricky to make ISO
13250-1 as a normative tutorial co-exist with the current ISO 13250-2,
which defines precisely the same concepts that ISO 13250-1 would
define.

These are editorial issues that I think we are more than capable of
dealing with. ISO guidelines are not a worry just yet.

-- 
Lars Marius Garshol, Ontopian         <URL: http://www.ontopia.net >
GSM: +47 98 21 55 50                  <URL: http://www.garshol.priv.no >